An attitude of acceptance and the willingness to scale each workout for newcomers so that everyone can participate is one of the reasons CrossFit is exploding with growth.
How can churches overcome the similar fears “out of shape” sinners have about showing up on a Sunday morning to explore what it means to follow Jesus?
Another way of asking the question: how do we scale the gospel so that everyone can participate?
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons
I would say you can’t scale the gospel, salvation is what it is. However the sanctification process can certainly be scaled as Peter notes in book 2.
5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral [g]excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As and other authors have noted (John Ortberg is one I follow) we should be a training process for spiritual growth for ourselves. Also leaders of a church should have a blue print for spiritual growth that for those they lead.
I hear you Jeff, but I’m not sure that salvation and sanctification can be separated like that. Maybe a better question for me to ask is how do we scale our explanation of the gospel?
I’ve asking myself that question for 50 years. It’s constantly changing both questions and answers for me. How does someone who’s struggled for 50+ years worship with someone who has just started the struggle? I think it lies in who we look at, not in who we are!! HE is scaleable enough for all!!
Well said Viggo!